Independent Advocacy

This service currently has an 8 week waiting list for new referrals.

Independent advocacy is all about making sure that your voice is heard when you are facing life changing decisions and ensuring that you have all the facts to enable you to make that decision.

Sometimes we all need someone in our corner and advocacy just gives you the confidence to speak up for yourself and have your rights observed.

If you or someone that you know is trying to:

Access support through the social care system

Get continuing health care funding

Decide whether you/they should move into residential care

Get home from hospital and need help being involved in the discharge planning process

Get the right service living in residential care

Raise concern about how they are being treated, possible abuse

Our Advocate can help make sure that your voice is heard.

Mrs Vine's Story

Mrs Vine was widowed a number of years ago. Aged 84, the only close family she had was her son. Mrs Vine was in poor health and relied on her son to collect her pension and buy her shopping.

When a member of the information and advice team called to see Mrs Vine, she raised concerns about how her son was treating her so the member of staff arranged to visit Mrs Vine again with an advocate. On the second visit, she explained how her son had taken control of her finances and was subjecting her to emotional and psychological abuse.

With Mrs Vine’s consent the advocate contacted the safeguarding team within social services which resulted in the appointment of a social worker for Mrs Vine and police involvement. Mrs Vine’s advocate supported her at meetings with her social worker and the police, helped her to understand her options in regaining control of her finances and assisted her in securing her accounts so her son could no longer access her money.

Mrs Vine was also made aware of services available to support her independence so that she would not be as reliant on family, making her vulnerable when they refused to help her. She now uses the shopping service available through Homecare Plus and will soon be matched up with a companion for long term support and friendship.

Mrs Cooke's Story

Mrs Cooke was 73 years old and living alone when she first contacted Age Cymru Swansea Bay. She was struggling to maintain her property and pay the outgoings; she wanted to move to a smaller, more manageable property.

Her late husband had lived in a local nursing home for a number of years before passing away in January 2015. Mrs Cooke was concerned that she would be asked to repay all her late husband’s care fees when she sold the house meaning she would struggle to purchase the retirement property she really wanted.

An advice and information officer and an advocate visited Mrs Cooke to talk everything through. Mrs Cooke was informed by the advocate that the Local Authority had to follow the Welsh Government guidance on payment of care fees. The advocate then explained how it all worked in practice; how the property disregard was applicable whilst Mr Cooke was living in the care home and how the jointly owned property was treated after Mr Cooke’s death.

Mrs Cooke was very happy to learn that the Local Authority would not seek to recover repayment of her late husband’s care fees from the proceeds of the house sale and that she would be able to purchase a flat within her preferred retirement complex.

Whilst at the visit, Mrs Cooke had discussed her health and care needs with the information and advice officer who then supported her to complete an application for Attendance Allowance. Mrs Cooke’s application was successful and she was awarded Higher Rate Attendance Allowance which boosted her income by £82.30 per week. The extra money helped her to access services to support her to continue to live independently at home, including a cleaning service through Homecare Plus.

As a result of Age Cymru Swansea Bay’s involvement, Mrs Cooke was fully informed of the correct information and her options and this enabled her to make important decisions with confidence.